The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts:
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tooling apparatus, and more particularly to an indicating center support apparatus for use with a machine lathe or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the machine cutting of long work pieces of cylindrical cross-section supported between a chuck and a tail stock, some means of support may be required at a mid-point of the work piece in order to avoid excess vibration during the machining or cutting operation. Alternatively, very slow speeds of rotation of the work piece may be required to prevent such vibration or chattering during cutting operations. In most instances, the precision and the accuracy of the cut may be affected.
Prior art devices for use with machine tools such as cutting lathes for supporting long work pieces have included a device referred to as a steady rest. The steady rest is a device which may be attached to the bed of the lathe, and is provided with a central opening through which extends the work piece. Within the central opening, there are a plurality of rollers on arms with the rollers engaging the outer surface of the work piece. Such steady rest devices are suited for cylindrical work pieces only, and afford little in the way of adjustment, but serve a primary purpose of simply supporting a cylindrical work piece having one end thereof secured within the chuck of the lathe. The steady rest support is generally positioned in proximate relation to the cutting tool. With such a steady rest, if the work piece is being machined, such as with a cutting tool, the other end of the work piece is preferably supported within a tail stock. Such steady rests have been virtually unusable for precision cutting of a long work piece supported at only one end by the chuck.
Furthermore, if the machining operation is to be performed with a non-cylindrical work piece, or if the work piece is to be offset or eccentric relative to the lathe chuck, a steady rest cannot be employed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved tooling apparatus for support of a long work piece during cutting and machining operations.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved tooling apparatus for securely and rotatably supporting a long work piece of cylindrical or other cross-section.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a new and impoved tooling apparatus which enables support of an offset positioned long work piece within the chuck of a lathe with or without use of a tailstock, while enabling rotation of the work piece for precision eccentirc cuts.